Associate Sales Representative — Dana Lindberg

This week’s spotlight is on Dana Lindberg, PT, DPT, a non-clinical physical therapist who is now Associate Sales Representative at Zimmer Biomet!

What is your full name, title, and company name for your current, primary role?

Dana Lindberg, PT, DPT — Associate Sales Representative at Zimmer Biomet

Where are you located?

Boston, MA.

Where did you go to PT school, and what year did you graduate?

Samuel Merritt, 2020.

What did you do when you first finished school, and for how long?

I worked at Competitive Edge, a cash-based concierge practice in San Jose for two years. After that, I worked as a PT manager at SpineZone in San Diego for one year, then Director of Rehab at ONR/EmpowerMe Wellness in San Diego for one and a half years.

In what setting(s) did you work, and what types of patients did you treat?

I worked in cash-based sports and performance, spine, and geriatrics.

What did you enjoy about your early roles? What didn’t you enjoy?

I enjoyed the specificity of working with high-level athletes at Competitive Edge, as well as the sophisticated technology we employed.

At SpineZone, I enjoyed the systematic approach of diagnosing and intervening with patients with neck and back pathology. I also enjoyed the collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, in which we worked alongside a spinal surgeon, his PA, a mindfulness coach, and a dietician.

At ONR/EmpowerMe, I enjoyed the accessibility to my patients, as well as the collaboration with occupational therapy, speech therapy, and the community to promote lasting changes in our residents.

Although these roles often required preparatory work and effort off the clock—and I was often the responsible individual for clinic performance—there weren’t too many avenues for advancement and growth. I felt somewhat stagnant in my clinical roles.

When and why did you decide to do something non-clinical?

I had been considering a move to a non-clinical position for a while. However, I did not feel a sense of urgency until some life circumstances influenced me to move back home to the East Coast from California.

What are you doing these days?

I am an associate sales representative with Zimmer Biomet. My territory consists of most of Western Massachusetts.

Are you still treating patients, or are you solely non-clinical?

I am solely non-clinical.

How long have you been in your current associate sales representative role?

I began my role in March 2024.

Did you get any special certifications or training along the way to help you get into your current role?

I utilized the Medical Sales Career Builder program by Evolve Your Success (EYS), which was first brought to my attention by The Non-Clinical PT’s blog!

Sales can feel intimidating! But confidence comes from talking the talk and knowing you’re prepared to walk the walk. It’s much easier to sell yourself in interviews when you’ve gone through formal sales training. We highly recommend upskilling and working with the sales mentors at Evolve Your Success.

Their Medical Sales Career Builder program has a 100% satisfaction rating and 90% placement record! Mention that The Non-Clinical PT sent you to get $800 off!

How did you find your job? Did you apply or find it through a connection?

I networked a lot, on and off LinkedIn. My process was influenced by the strategies I learned in EYS.

Did you do anything special to your resume and cover letter to land the job?

I had to completely overhaul my resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, and even created a digital career portfolio.

This was important to highlight my specific transferable skills to the medical device sales space and demonstrate my “why” to the recruiters and hiring managers.

What was the interview like for the associate sales representative role?

It was a lot more drawn out than the previous clinical roles I interviewed for. I was in final-round interviews with Zimmer Biomet (my company) and Stryker. Stryker had several more rounds of interviews, including a case presentation and a behavioral assessment.

How have people reacted to you leaving patient care?

It’s been mixed. Some people are surprised that I left a stable career like PT after achieving my clinical doctorate. Others have been more understanding, especially after I get a chance to elaborate on my rationale and motivations for leaving clinical care.

What’s a typical day or week in the life like for you? What types of tasks and responsibilities fill your time?

There is really no typical day.

Midweek, I am generally in the OR covering cases. The day starts quite early, as I need to be at the hospital or surgery center about an hour prior to surgery to ensure everything is ready for the procedure. This includes ensuring that all instrumentation is properly sterilized, including backups, as well as all appropriate implants that will be used.

There are a lot of logistics involved in this role, and organization is key.

My team consists of four other sales reps, so we communicate a lot to make sure we are all set for the upcoming procedures in our territory. In the OR, the rep is expected to be an expert in all aspects of the surgery in which our products are used. This can often include assisting the scrub tech in assembling instrumentation and even fielding questions from the surgeon about utilization of the instruments and selection of implants.

What are some of the rewards of your role? What are the biggest challenges?

It is really rewarding being in the OR and being directly involved in smooth, efficient operations that change patients’ lives. When the surgeon is happy with our product and when I can solve problems and add value to the operation from pre-op to post-op, it is just as rewarding to me as patient care.

There are so many challenges, a lot of them unforeseen. You really have to be forward thinking, deliberate, and have steadfast attention to detail. Every surgeon has different preferences. Every account likes things done a specific way. Zimmer Biomet has a vast portfolio of orthopedic offerings. All of these considerations combine to require a very high level of understanding to be successful in the role.

How did your clinical background prepare you for this role? Which skills transferred?

My background in anatomy, physiology, orthopedics, and biomechanics has been invaluable in getting me up to speed in this role. Additionally, an understanding about how hospitals work and the who’s who of healthcare has been very helpful.

My experience in patient-facing roles has also carried over since customer service and relationship building is extremely important.

What type of person do you think would do well in your associate sales representative role?

Someone would do well in this role if they are willing and motivated to engage in behaviors outside their comfort zones. Oftentimes, you are going into unfamiliar situations, armed with your research, knowledge, and the confidence that you can solve whatever problems arise.

Organizational skills are imperative. It is important to be likable, courteous, and handle yourself well under pressure.

Do you work remotely or onsite?

I spend most of my time visiting accounts in the territory, so lots of car time.

Did you read any books, take any courses, or do anything special overall to get you where you are today?

Yes, Evolve Your Success.

What is a typical career path for someone in your associate sales representative role?

There are a lot of different paths. Associate sales reps typically get promoted to full reps after a period of time ranging from one to two years. Sales reps either stay in their roles, get promoted to territory managers or regional managers, or go into marketing, product management, or any number of other affiliated roles.

What is next for you? What are your high-level career aspirations?

I am excited to be in my role, learn as much as possible about the business, our offerings, and continue to grow into a full-line rep.

Do you have any special advice for others who want to follow in your footsteps?

Network, network, network. Not only is this going to provide opportunities and build valuable connections, but it will illuminate the different roles and possibilities in the world of medical sales.